EFFECTIVE 07/01/2009 All land transfers with a septic system require a septic system inspection certificate attached to the Groundwater Hazard Statement before the document can be recorded.

Electronic filings or esubmissions are processed every workday between 8:00AM and 9:00AM. All esubmissions received after 9:00AM will be processed the next business day.

All paper documents submitted for recording after 3:00PM will be processed the next business day.

-*In addition to the above recording fees, Deeds, Change of Name, Condemnations and Contracts require an additional $5.00 transfer fee for each separate parcel of real estate involved with a $50.00 Maximum.
-Documents larger than 11X14 are required to have original sized copies to accompany it.
-A page longer than 14 inches and any attached piece will be considered an additional page.
-Ucc fixture filings are 2 pages and must have the 2nd page addendum with them to file.

For a transfer of property made in the transfer records, $5.00 for each separate parcel of real estate described in a deed, or transfer of title certified by the clerk of the district court. However, the fee shall not exceed fifty dollars for a transfer of property, which is described in one instrument of transfer.

For the purpose of this paragraph, a parcel of real estate includes:

For real estate located outside of the corporate limits of a city, all contiguous land lying within a numbered section.

For real estate located within the corporate limits of a city, all contiguous land lying within a platted block or subdivision.

Within a numbered section, platted block or Subdivision, land separated only by a public street, alley, or highway remains contiguous.

DOCUMENT FORMATTING STANDARDS STATE OF IOWA
In order to comply with national standards, Iowa has adopted Document Formatting Standards. Senate File 371, which took effect July 1. 2005, states that all documents presented for recording (except those listed below) MUST meet the following requirements:

All documents shall consist of one or more individual pages not permanently bound or in a continuous form. A page means a writing, printing, or drawing, other than a plat or survey or a drawing related to a plat or survey, occurring on one side only, and not larger than eight and one-half inches in width and fourteen inches in length. The document shall not have any attachment stapled or otherwise affixed to any page except as necessary to comply with statutory requirements. However, individual pages of a document may be stapled for presentation for recording. Labels that are firmly attached are acceptable.

The first page of each document shall have a top margin of at least three (3) inches of vertical space from left to right which shall be reserved for the recorder’s use. All other margins on the document shall be a minimum of three-fourths of one inch. Nonessential information such as page numbers or customer notations may be placed in a margin except the top margin.

All preprinted text shall be at least eight points in size and no more than twenty characters and spaces per inch. All other text typed or computer generated, including but not limited to all names of parties to an agreement, shall be at least ten point in size and no more than sixteen characters and spaces per inch

Each document shall be of sufficient legibility to produce a clear reproduction.

Each document shall be on white paper of not less than twenty-pound weight w/without watermarks or other visible inclusions.

All signatures on a document shall be in black or dark blue ink and of sufficient color and clarity to ensure that the signatures are readable when the document is reproduced. All names shall be typed, printed, or stamped beneath the original signature.

Embossed or inked stamps shall not cover or otherwise materially interfere with any part of the document.

Each document that is presented for recording shall have the following information on the first page below the three-inch margin: a) the name, address, and telephone number of the individual who prepared the document; b) the name of the taxpayer and a complete mailing address for any document or instrument of conveyance; c) a return address; d) the title of the document; e) all ‘ grantors’ names; f) all grantees’ names; g) any address required by statute; h) the legal description of the property and parcel identification number, if required. If insufficient space exists on the first page for all of the information previously described, the page reference of the document where the information is located shall be noted on the first page.

The following documents are exempt from document formatting requirements:

A document that was signed before July 1, 2005.

A military separation document.

A document that executed outside of the United States.

A certified copy of a document issued by a governmental agency, including a vital record.

A document where one of the original parties is deceased or otherwise incapacitated.

A document formatted to meet court requirements.

A federal tax lien.

A filing under the uniform commercial code, chapter 554.

A plat or survey or a drawing related to a plat or survey.

On or after July 1. 2005, a document that does not conform to the document formatting standards shall not be recorded except upon payment of an additional recording fee of $10.00 per document or instrument.

Platting of a subdivision- please contact the Recorder’s Office for platting requirements beforeyou submit the documents for recording.

Recorder Contacts:

Mark Brandenburg, County Recorder
George Farrage, 1st Deputy

In the Spotlight

New Tax Site!

The County has implemented a powerful tool which takes advantage of the vast database records. The Tax Website allows you to view detailed tax history for your property. Use the Property Search Tool (Tax Tab) found on this page or click here.

The 2014 annual tax sale will be held by the Pottawattamie County Treasurer on Monday, June 16, 2014. This year the sale will be at The Mid-America Center. It is located at One Arena Way, Council Bluffs, Iowa (www.midamericacenter.com for directions).

EMA CodeRed

The CodeRED system serves all residents within Pottawattamie County and it Communities.

The Pottawattamie County Emergency Management Agency has implemented Emergency Communications Network's CodeRED system, a high-speed notification solution and the CodeRED Weather Warning service. This no-charge service is available to businesses.